Jacques Attali

Professor, writer, and former special adviser to François Mitterand, Jacques Attali has led an extensive career as an influential French economist and business leader. As the founder and first president of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, he made significant strides in European economic development. He is the chairman of an international consulting firm based in Paris and serves as the founder and president of an international nonprofit organization that leverages the Internet to combat poverty and structure the microfinance sector.

Attali has authored over thirty books on diverse subjects ranging from mathematical economy to music, including novels, songs, short stories, and theatre plays, all of which have been translated into more than twenty languages. His seminal work "Millennium," published in 1990, coined the term “nomad society” and has had a notable influence on various technological and cultural advancements, including the design of the Guggenheim museum in Bilbao and the Java programming language.

Apart from his literary and economic contributions, Attali also established PlaNet Finance and currently chairs an investment bank and private equity firm that focuses on nurturing European IT startups, spanning sectors from software development to genomics. Known for his compelling and articulate presentations, he is proficient in both English and French, and covers a broad spectrum of topics in economics, politics, and philosophy.